Comparative analysis on cytological findings between early recurrent cases and non recurrent ones in breast cancer

Objective: To determine cytological differences between early recurrent cases and nonrecurrent breast cancer. Study Design: Fifty-eight FNAs cases were studied. They were divided into 4 groups; 7 node-negative and early recurrent cases within two years (group 1), 16 node-negative and cases nonrecurrent for more than five years (group 2), 15 node-positive and cases early recurrent within two years (group 3), and 20 node-positive and cases nonrecurrent for more than five years (group 4). Cytological atypia of the primary tumor was analyzed using an Olympus Micrometer VM-30. Results: Early recurrent cases (groups 1, 3) showed significantly increased nuclear long axis length, nuclear shortaxis length, nuclear area, nucleolar long axis length, nucleolar short axis length, nucleolar area, incidence of nucleoli>2.5 μm and mitotic index than nonrecurrent cases (groups 2, 4). Our scoring system composed of these parameters, showed a significant difference between recurrent and nonrecurrent cases if the cutoff score was six. Conclusion: More severe cytological atypia in FNAs of breast cancer was seen in early recurrent patients independent of nodal status. Our scoring system of cytological dysplasia should be a useful parameter of early recurrence in breast cancer.